


When the heart knew before the mind

by Wordlesslywriting



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, Daichi rare pair week, Falling In Love, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-18
Updated: 2017-02-18
Packaged: 2018-09-25 07:53:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9810128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wordlesslywriting/pseuds/Wordlesslywriting
Summary: Sometimes being a former captain makes it a little difficult to start out fresh new beginnings.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Prompts Used: College AU, Same Team AU, Injury

After finishing Karasuno and getting comfortable at being enrolled to college Sawamura Daichi wondered if it was dumb luck or a stupid joke from the universe to be reacquainted with Shiratorizawa’s former ace, Ushijima Wakatoshi. Sawamura didn't particularly hate or dislike the guy but, he couldn't deny the apprehensiveness he held when he first joined his school’s volleyball team and only to be introduced once again to Ushijima. He didn't shake hands right off the bat, it was more of an awkward side glance for Sawamura as Ushijima made rounds of getting to know the whole team and Sawamura rethinking his whole life during that span of time. When Ushijima came to his small circle of acquaintances Sawamura was shocked that he remembered him. He wasn't sure how he looked to Ushijima but, he was sure enough that his former school’s name gave an impression the way he felt Ushijima look over him with quick eyes before sending him a short nod. Ten seconds of holding his gaze and a cough from being him later, Sawamura decided to be the bigger guy and hold out his arm as a formal greeting. It wasn't shocking to hear the guy ask how Hinata was faring and that it was a pleasure to meet him. There was recognition between them, but not the kind that made Sawamura smile easily but rather in annoyance for a brief moment. Being a former captain helped many ways; and for this case it helped him keep his sanity the way Ushijima proved to be more than the irritating spiker he fought last year.

Getting to know Ushijima was like the equivalent to getting Hinata and Kageyama to score 90s on their finals but, at the same witnessing Kiyoko talking openly to the whole team when Yachi joined. It was hard but mostly pleasant in Sawamura’s life. Besides volleyball practice Ushijima dorm room was pretty close to his that it gave him more opportunities to meet him randomly on the hallways. That and they shared similar hours of classes that when he was on break he could technically find Ushijima and hangout with him if he wanted (and he did 70% of the time). They didn't have the same classes but they did share the same professor for English; the only way he found out was because of another teammate (who was another former player from Shiratorizawa) noticed their syllabus and assignments. It was an interesting development to say the least the way Sawamura began to spend more time with Ushijima and not notice right away how his own heart wavered around him. It was subtle. Too subtle for his liking the way he was caught off guard the way he couldn’t look away from Ushijima. After a year of being a captain and then going back to a regular teammate status did a number on him the way he had to relearn to listen to older classmates. For having to step down a notch when it came to carrying the world on his shoulders; it was kind of nice to have more spare room. But regarding Ushijima, that was where he didn’t where to go with their hours of studying together, walking to practice and back to their dorms. There was this invisible force that got Sawamura fond of Ushijima’s smiles and blunt phrases. It was uncontrollable to have to stare at his ceiling at night and reminisce the fluttering heartbeat that engulfed his ears. It was horrendous to be stuck having a childish tantrum when the fear of realization finally hit him. He was never prepared to chalk off a piece of himself for another individual to rule over his emotional and mental time.

Sawamura was in many ways scared of the thoughts of Ushijima rejecting their bond even though he knew that Ushijima didn’t have a problem with people’s sexual attractions in general. He may have looked like an old fashion guy, but he was actually a pretty progressive dude. But that was half of the terrible situation he was in; Sawamura couldn’t find it in himself to admit his feelings as they were both still working out to be good friends. He couldn’t endanger his connection with him with awkwardness and Ushijima trying to be polite about Sawamura’s heart. It would be too embarrassing. Even after talking to his friends Sawamura still couldn’t walk into the hallways without being a little paranoid. As much as he liked Ushijima’s voice he wasn’t in the perfect mindset to drool over him and talk like normal. It just wasn’t probable. So when he got injured the next day he cursed under his breath the way Ushijima took the initiative to walk him to all his classes and pick him. To grab food for them when it was their lunch break, to open all the doors they passed and ask if Sawamura needed anything like pain reliefs. It was almost too much the way he was babied; the whole time he couldn’t stop the happiness that bubbled for having his whole attention. It was mortifying; and something he never wanted to speak about the way he almost spilled out his secret to Ushijima.

“You really don’t have to stay with me you know.”

Ushijima closed the door of Sawamura’s dorm room. It was in the middle of the afternoon as the sun was still high on the sky making the room bright. Sawamura sat down on his bed as he put his backpack down without overly stretching too hard and away from his bruised left shoulder. It was still very sore the way he aching went through the motion slowly. Ushijima didn’t say anything right away as he set down his own backpack. His facial expressions were softer than usual when he looked down at him, it almost felt like time slowed down for Sawamura the way Ushijima sat down next him. There was still a space between them but it wasn’t that much. He could feel the warmth of Ushijima’s body, watch how the digital clock change and how the quietness was becoming uncomfortable.

“I don’t?” Ushijima’s head directly looked at Sawamura’s as he replied coolly.

“Um, no…I mean...”

His eyes flashed an emotion Sawamura couldn’t decipher. “If you are not comfortable with my constant presence I can—”

Sawamura stopped him seeing his error of choice of words. “No, don’t get me wrong. I’m happy for you doing this.” His uninjured hand gestured for him to wait. “I just…don’t want you to think like you have to spend all your time with me. It’s okay if you don’t want to and would rather go out with other people.”  
“I see.” Sawamura dared to look at Ushijima as he got up and knelt down so he could stay eye level with him. “Then I should have been more upfront with my past actions since the day you got injured.”

“What?”

“I have stayed by your side not because of obligations as a friend but rather because I genuinely do enjoy my time with you.” His voice grew a little louder in Sawamura’s ears from the silence that rested in-between. “I would have preferred a better situation but I must confess that from our introductions in the beginning of the semester I have quickly grown very fond of our time together. And if you are okay with it may you honor me by formally going to dinner together when you are healed?”

Stupidly Sawamura’s brain fried, “Like in a date?”

Ushijima nodded at him with patience, “Only if you are comfortable with the idea of it.”

“Okay,” Sawamura smiled at him while taking one of Ushijima’s hand and holding as he relished on the touch and warmth of it, “I’d like that.”


End file.
